Bowlers, Salt shine as RCB march into first IPL final since 2016
Hazlewood, Suyash and Dayal shared eight wickets as PBKS folded for 101 in Qualifier 1
Hazlewood, Suyash and Dayal shared eight wickets as PBKS folded for 101 in Qualifier 1
Scorer: Ranjith P | Commentator: S Sudarshanan
10:28pm A ninth different player to win the match award for RCB, it is that kind of season for one of the most popular teams of the IPL. A short match day tonight, only 24.1 overs across innings. Sidharth Monga's report will be up here soon. Do keep an eye out for the post-match story from Shashank Kishore, our man in New Chandigarh. For now, on behalf of Ranjith and Ashish, I, Sudarshanan, will bid you goodbye. Take care, ciao!
10:04pm A performance that screams statement! The biggest win (by balls remaining) in the IPL playoffs as RCB brush aside PBKS and are set to take flight to Ahmedabad. RCB were not going to do a KKR. Even after that one almost-unplayable over from Jamieson. Salt was belligerent from start to end, bringing back memories of his successful run with the bat last season for champions KKR. He scored a 23-ball fifty, his fastest in the IPL as RCB hunted down their 102-run target breaking little sweat.
Shreyas Iyer, PBKS captain: "Not a day to forget, but we have to go to the drawing board. We were befuddled and lost a lot of wickets. Something to go back and study. Not doubting on my decisions in terms of planning. Outside of the ground, it was on point. Couldn't execute, can't blame our bowlers. It was such a low total. Got to work on our batting, on this wicket. In all games here, there has been variable bounce. Can't give such reasons because we are professionals and we have to live up to it. We have lost the battle but not the war."
Deep Gadhia from our stats team tells me that since 2011 (when playoffs system was introduced), all the teams placed second after the league stage have gone to play the final. RCB are following the trend.
Phil Salt: "Great feeling. We had a second bite at the cherry tonight. It did move a bit. Don't know how much that was because of the wicket. Not the worst wicket we have played on, put it that way. What came in my head was don't get out to Arshdeep! Just react to the ball. I said before the game to Andy that it was a blessing in disguise. Sometimes you can think too much and overplay it. So play-travel-play was a blessing in disguise. Just gives us momentum. Cliche but true. Back end of the tournament you want to hit your straps. You can play a part with the bat or ball or strike rates through the middle."
Rajat Patidar, RCB captain: "We were very clear in our plans and how we have to bowl. Fast bowlers used the surface well, Suyash chipped in well. He bowls in line of the stumps, which is his strength. I don't give him a lot of ideas, don't want to confuse him. We had done a lot of practice throughout the tournament. One day of non-practice won't harm you. The way [Salt] is batting in every match, the way he is giving us starts, it is a treat. I am a big fan of him. Always thank RCB fans, wherever we go, we feel like it is our home ground. One more game, let's celebrate together!"
Suyash Sharma, Player of the Match: "I have performed, that is why people must be happy! My role is to hit the stumps - be it with the googly or legspin or flipper. Googly is my stock ball, there was a little help from the surface as well. We will celebrate on the 3rd [June]."
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Hazlewood, Suyash and Dayal shared eight wickets as PBKS folded for 101 in Qualifier 1